The present invention relates to packages for surgical sutures and more particularly to a multiple panel folded retainer for a plurality of sutures which retainer allows for the single strand dispensing of the sutures.
Packages for surgical sutures are constructed according to the nature of the suture and its intended use. Also, the packages are designed taking into consideration the economics of the package and the method of placing the sutures in the package. In general, the ideal package protects the suture during handling and storage yet allows the suture to be removed with a minimum of difficult, and the package itself is economical to produce.
The more popular suture packages consist of a folded paper or cardboard retainer with the sutures therein and with the retainer contained in a sterile hermitically sealed envelope. In many instances the sterility of the suture and envelope are maintained by a second sealed outer wrap. When the suture is to be used, the outer wrap is opened in the operating room and the sealed envelope deposited in a sterile area. Sterile personnel thereupon tear open the sterile envelope providing access to the suture.
Many packages have been developed which contain a plurality of sutures and have been designed in such a way as to allow all the sutures to be removed from the package or to allow a single suture to be removed from the package. The packages must be designed so that a single suture can be removed from the package of multiple sutures without disrupting or entangling and rendering virtually useless the remaining sutures in the package. A number of ways have been developed to allow for single strand dispensing from a multiple suture package. In certain instances the package has been designed with a channel in the package and with the sutures laid in that channel so that as one suture is removed from the channel, the other sutures will remain in place in the channel. An example of such a package is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,424,898. Another technique for designing such a package is to design the package so it has individual and adjacent compartments with each compartment containing a suture. U.S. Pat. No. 3,759,376 discloses such a package. Another technique for producing such a package is to place some frictional material on the surface of the package which is to engage the sutures. Such frictional material will hold the sutures in place, yet will allow a single suture to be removed from the package. An example of such a package is shown in copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 532,632 filed Sept. 15, 1983.
Yet another technique for producing a multistrand package allowing for single strand dispensing is to wind the sutures in a very specific manner so that they lay in the package in a manner that will allow single strand delivery from the wind. An example of such a technique for winding sutures in such a suture package is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,089,409. Still other multistrand suture packages are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,126,221 and 4,253,563.
In producing a multistrand suture package, a number of things are important. Perhaps of primary importance is that the suture package should hold all the sutures while allowing dispensing of individual sutures without disrupting or dislodging or entangling the remaining sutures in the package. Also, perhaps of equal importance is that the single suture should be easily removed from the package with a minimum of force. Of course, in all suture packages economics and cost are of importance as well as is the simplicity of the package to keep the expense in packaging sutures in the package to a minimum.
It is an object of the present invention to produce a multistrand suture package which allows for single strand deliver of sutures from that package with little or no disruption of the remaining sutures in the package. It is another object of the present invention to produce a package where a single strand suture may be removed from the package with a minimum of force. It is still another object of the present invention to produce a package which is economical to produce. It is yet a further object of the present invention to produce a multistrand suture package which is easily filled with sutures in a simple and economical manner.
These and other objects of the present invention will become more apparent upon the reading of the ensuing description and claims.